camerapediafandomcom-20200215-history
Wica
The Wica was a Leica copy made by 'Wi'ener 'Ca'mera Werkstätte and apparently designed by R. Gerstendörfer of Vienna. It was presented in 1948 and is ultra rare. It had a synchronized focal plane shutter from 1/20 to 1/1000, with no slow speeds. In an article in 4/2005 issue of VÖAV, it is said it was advertised with a top speed of 1/1600, but it might be a mistake. It had a coupled rangefinder, separate from the viewfinder, a detachable back and an accessory shoe screwed to the top plate, but being essentially a hand crafted camera, there were variations: * early models: ** short top plate (like the Leica screw models), with R. Gerstendörfer Wien and Wica engravings ** 2-plug sync mounted at the top of the front plate ** advance/rewind knob protruding from the front plate; * later models: ** longer top plate, with Wica, MADE IN AUSTRIA and serial number black-filled engravings ** recessed rewind knob, extracted by a side mounted lever ** normal sync post at the bottom of the front plate ** advance/rewind lever at the top of the front plate ** different winding knob ** higher shutter release Some had a removable lens in a special mount (32mm fine thread), hand adjusted to the rangefinder. Some later cameras had a normal Leica thread mount. Lenses reported in Wica mount: * Angénieux type S1 50/1.8 * Angénieux type Z2 50/2.9 * Berthiot Flor 50/2.8 * Rodenstock Heligon 50/2 * Schneider Xenon 50/2.8 * Steinheil Culminar 50/2.8 Recent auctions and other known pictures: * s/n 15, Westlicht Auction 21/5/2005, short top plate marked R. Gerstendörfer Wien and Wica, 2-plug sync, A/R knob, with Steinheil Culminar 5cm/2.8 VL #506977 in Wica mount * s/n unknown, ebay auction, short top plate marked R. Gerstendörfer Wien and Wica, 2-plug sync, A/R knob, with Schneider Xenon 5cm/2 #1800997 in Wica mount * s/n 130, Westlicht Auction 15/11/2002, short top plate marked R. Gerstendörfer Wien and Wica, 2-plug sync, A/R knob, strap lugs with Berthiot Flor 5cm/2.8 #1800997 in Wica mount * s/n 139, Christies 8/6/1995, short top plate marked R. Gerstendörfer Wien and Wica, 2-plug sync, A/R knob, strap lugs with Rodenstock Heligon 5cm/2 #2039679 in Wica mount * s/n unknown, pictured in McKeown, early model with both a 2-plug sync and a normal sync post, with an Angénieux 50/1.8 type S1 in Wica mount * s/n unknown, pictured in Jason Schneider's Camera Collecting book, volume III, late model with an Angénieux 50/1.8 type S1 in Wica mount * s/n 1017, Christies 8/6/1995, long top plate marked Wica and MADE IN AUSTRIA, normal sync, A/R lever, Angénieux 50/2.9 type Z2 #160700 in Wica mount * s/n 1040, Westlicht Auction 29/5/2004, long top plate marked Wica and MADE IN AUSTRIA, normal sync, A/R lever, Leica thread mount, sold with a fake SONNAR made in USSR * s/n 1042, late model with Leica thread mount, pictured in McKeown equipped with a Steinheil Quinon 50/2 * s/n 1044, late model, pictured in McKeown with a Berthiot Flor 50/1.5 in Wica mount * s/n 1051, Westlicht Auction 23/5/2003, long top plate marked Wica and MADE IN AUSTRIA, normal sync, A/R lever, Angénieux 50/2.9 type Z2 #156141 in Wica mount * s/n 1XXX, late model with Leica thread mount, pictured in McKeown equipped with a Leica-Sonnar 5.8cm/1.5 Links * Oldcameras.at has a picture of a Wica * A downloadable issue (pdf) of the VÖAV magazine, with info about postwar Austrian cameras * Gerstendörfer Spezial Makro-Teleobjektiv 135mm f/6.3: lot 300 of the March 25, 2006 Photographica and Film auction by Auction Team Breker Category: 39mm screw mount Category: 35mm rangefinder Category: Austria Category: W